Germany 2-3 England: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and Eric Dier score to ensure Three Lions launch impressive comeback in Berlin
- Toni Kroos opened the scoring for the world champions in the first half before Mario Gomez added second
- Stoke keeper Jack Butland sustained injury shortly before Kroos' strike which minutes before the half-time break
- Harry Kane pulled a goal back for England before substitute Jamie Vardy equalised with a delightful flicked effort
- Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier then scored winning goal for the Three Lions in the 91st minute
It won’t count for anything come the summer; it will be quickly forgotten if all goes awry in France. And yet a youthful England team delivered a quite stunning comeback at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium against the world champions which demanded to be celebrated.
When Eric Dier rose above Andre Schurrle and emphatically headed home in injury time, England recorded their third successive win on German soil. More pointedly, they had turned around a game which looked lost at 2-0 down on 58 minutes. As it was, their German hosts were the ones jeered off and England who had delivered a healthy dose of optimism in the run up to Euro 2016.
Roy Hodgson will be hugely encouraged though he won’t know quite what to make of a game which fluctuated like the weather on an English spring day. England had an attacking ingenuity rarely seen; yet they had a defensive naivety which is all too often observed.
Tottenham and England midfielder Eric Dier (right) beams with joy after scoring England's winning goal in the 91st minute
Substitute Jamie Vardy celebrates his impressive equaliser against the world champions as England came from behind to claim win
The Leicester forward flicked the ball past Antonio Rudiger and Germany and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer
Harry Kane raises his arm in celebration of his 61st-minute goal shortly after beating Germany goalkeeper Neuer
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos (left) is congratulated by Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil after scoring in the first half
So Hodgson was right to urge a degree of caution. After all, we’ve been here before. A 5-1 over Germany in 2001 meant little in the 2002 World Cup; a 2-1 win here in 2008 didn’t prevent England being over-run by Germany in the 2010 World Cup.
‘We've got an awful long way to go before we can claim to be like the Germans with what they've achieved in the last few years,’ said Hodgson.
‘But it was a great performance. It showed character, but also a lot of quality in terms of our passing, poise and movement. We created a lot of chances, so pleased for the players and that we have carried on from where we left off against France in such a wonderful iconic arena against the world champions.’
Indeed, England’s young experimental side attacked with such gusto and created so many opportunities that the coming days will be dominated by discussion over just where the absent captain, Wayne Rooney, fits into this team. Two of their goals, from Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy, came from exceptional moments of individual skill.
Kane and Dele Alli already looked established England stars; Vardy, too, when he came on. Danny Welbeck simply resumed where he left off his England career, offering consistent excellence. And Dier’s goal capped an encouraging if not faultless performance.
Had Alli been able to crown a fine performance on 83 minutes, when teed up by the excellent Vardy for the simplest of chances, England might have secured the lead earlier. As it was, they chose their moment well enough.
Overall, England’s willingness to endure last night means that they are entitled to focus on the positives. Dier didn’t get everything right in his holding role, but dropping into what was effectively a back three to be the focal point for build up from the back was a step in the right direction.
The Germany midfielder capitalises on Butland's injury by shooting from distance to beat the goalkeeper from outside the penalty area
Germany striker Mario Gomez wheels away in celebration after doubling his side's lead by scoring in the 61st minute
The 23-year-old goalkeeper sits on the turf after picking up the injury during the first half of the international friendly match in Berlin
Gomez (circled) had a first-half effort wrongly ruled out for offside as Nathaniel Clyne played the Germany striker on
And even before the dramatic climax, England had been good going forward, the pressing of Lallana and the slick interchanges between Welbeck and Kane good enough to trouble most teams. Yet in the final 20 minutes, in a diamond formation with Ross Barkley at its tip and Vardy up front, they were superb, cutting a swathe through the German defence.
And so to the real reason to worry for Euro 2016. England has started well yet warning signs flashed when Sami Khedira fed Mario Gomez on 27 minutes and his goal was wrongly disallowed for offside, with Nathaniel Clyne playing him on.
And England had a degree of misfortune in that keeper Jack Butland damaged ankle ligaments in the immediate prelude to Germany’s opener. That said, the space given Toni Kroos as he closed in on goal was alarming. His swerving, dipping shot on 43 minutes was quite magnificent and found a corner, though Butland may have reached it uninjured. That said, having conceded, Butland’s night was over. He left the ground on a stretcher in tears, Fraser Forster replacing him.
With Henderson missing a glorious opportunity engineered by Welbeck on 52 minutes, England’s midfielders allowed a re-run of their mistakes on 58 minutes. Over generous space was afforded Khedira. He floated a ball towards Mario Gomez who had found space in-between Clyne and Cahill and planted his header beyond Fraser Forster for 2-0. And when Jonas Hector raced into space down the left a minute later and crossed for Ozil, who forced a Forster save, there were echoes of Bloemfontein. England seemed to be reeling.
It is much to their credit then that not only did they not buckle, but instead rallied to win the game. Kane was the catalyst, dragging his side back into the match with a turn reminiscent of Cruyff. Germany seemed to have cleared a corner, Ozil ushering the ball out. But Kane wouldn’t let it go, won the ball and executed an exquisite back heel to shoot across Emre Can and past Neuer for 2-1.
Suddenly there was a renewed surge of confidence about England. One partiucualrly fine, flowing move found Alli being played in close on goal with Neuer saving well. He should have scored but you couldn’t fault the inventiveness.
On came Barkley and Vardy and within minutes England resurgence was complete. Barkley broke quickly from midfield, fed Clyne who surged forward and crossed superbly for Vardy, who fooled both marker and keeper, managing to score on the run with his trailing leg, with a stunning executed flick past Neuer for 2-2.
England were in the ascendant. Vardy was everywhere, always causing trouble he set up Alli for the chance that should have own the game on 83 minutes. Ultimately Dier did. It was truly heartening stuff. Not perfect and by no means are England impenetrable. But they are playing with real spirit and a degree of clarity. And that represents progress.
Butland is carried off on a stretcher after sustaining an injury shortly before Germany's opener just two minutes before the half-time break
Gomez's low shot beat England goalkeeper Jack Butland but the Italian officials wrongly disallowed his first-half effort
The Italian official raises his flag to rule Gomez's goal out for offside, the Besiktas forward was in the process of celebrating
Valencia manager Gary Neville keeps a close eye on England's players during the pre-match warm up at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin
Germany and England players line up as they sing their respective national anthems ahead of the friendly match in Berlin
Both sets of players pay their respects to the victims of the Brussels terrorist attacks by observing a minute's silence before the match
Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli (right) keeps a close eye on Arsenal playmaker Ozil (left) during the early stages of the match
Stoke goalkeeper Butland, who stepped in to deputise for the injured Joe Hart, is called into action early on in Germany
Alli (right) takes on Germany's Rudiger (left) as he looks to impress on only his fifth international appearances for the Three Lions
Liverpool attacking midfielder Adam Lallana takes aim at Neuer's goal however his effort goes sailing over the woodwork
Liverpool's Jordan Henderson keeps a close eye on fellow midfielder Khedira as he aims to win back possession for his side
Chris Smalling and Danny Welbeck look dejected after seeing England concede while the injured Butland shows his frustration
The injured Butland dives in vain as Kroos manages to find a way of beating the England and Stoke goalkeeper at his near post
England's stand-in captain Gary Cahill, Lallana and Eric Dier look disappointed after the Three Lions fall behind in Berlin
Butland looks back at the ball after being beaten, he was replaced by Southampton's Fraser Forster after conceding before half-time
Kane pulled a goal back for England to help the Three Lions claim an impressive win against the world champions in Berlin
Goalscorer Vardy replaces Welbeck in the 71st minute before playing a major role in England's impressive comeback victory
Vardy is congratulated by Smalling (left) and Rose (right) following his 75th-minute equaliser against the world champions
Neuer fails to adjust his feet in time to get down to Vardy's outstanding flick which deceived the experienced custodian
Dier is mobbed by his England team-mates after scoring what turned out to be the winning goal during the closing stages of the game
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3510776/Germany-2-3-England-Harry-Kane-Jamie-Vardy-Eric-Dier-score-ensure-Three-Lions-launch-impressive-comeback-Berlin.html#ixzz444YtcjbL
